


Reunion

by HanaHimus



Category: Persona 5, Persona | Revelations Persona
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Posted from Mobile which is an adventure
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-02
Updated: 2018-06-02
Packaged: 2019-05-17 00:42:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14821979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HanaHimus/pseuds/HanaHimus
Summary: Reiji Kido hadn't seen his son in over a year.





	Reunion

**Author's Note:**

  * For [StrawberryTofu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/StrawberryTofu/gifts).



> An (early) birthday present for a neat friend of mine!! They're a fan of this hc/au so i tried to write something for it, based on some comments they've made in the past!!
> 
> Also this was all done on mobile, pls feel free to point out any misspellings you see or anything!

Reiji Kido hadn't seen his son in over a year. Usually he saw him in person at least once a month, plus all the images and update emails his ex-wife would send him… But things had gone wrong for Takashi -- being put on probation levels of wrong… And Reiji didn't even hear about it until well after the fact. 

 

Takashi’s mother had explained she kept him it of tree loop to keep him from doing something he'd regret, but… He'd have liked to know his son was being shipped off to Tokyo for a year. If he'd known, he'd have felt he could actually contact him instead of being radio silent the entire time…

 

He just had to hope this meeting would go well. His ex-wife convinced Takashi to drop by on his way home, but… There was gonna be a lot to say between the two of them. He had to hope Takashi’s temporary guardian would give them some space if Reiji asked. 

 

“Dad?” A knock on the door followed the word and Reiji jumped. Takashi was here already…?

 

“Door’s unlocked, come on in, Takashi.”

 

The door creaked open and Reiji heard too many footsteps and too much chatter for it to be just one or two people. In fact, there were seven teenagers and a cat in his small ass apartment now…

 

That wasn't what was catching his attention, though. No, the fact these kids all seemed to be Persona users, his son included, is what really hit him. Hell, the _ cat _ of all things seemed to be one too… Then again,  Reiji had been learning that a number of things could be Persona users, so maybe that wasn't anymore shocking than the rest. 

 

“Takashi, you…” Reiji swallowed hard, unsure if bringing up Personas in front of this group was a good idea or not. “You're reminding me more and more of Toudou than me or your mom. How is that even possible?”

 

“Dunno…” Takashi shrugged as he tried to push his friends towards the couch and chairs in the living room. “It's not like I saw him anymore than I saw you two…”

 

“Yeah, he didn't see him at all…” A blond took no time saying that, arms crossed. Looked like one of Takashi’s friends already wasn't big on Reiji, then. 

 

“Shit, don't remind me…” Reiji rubbed the back of his neck with a grimace. “Inaba already got on my case plenty about not calling him when I found out.”

 

The boy narrowed his eyes. “But you still didn't even give him a call?”

 

Takashi put a hand on the blond’s shoulder, as if to calm him. “Ryuji, I know Dad probably looks pretty nasty to you so it's hard to trust him, but trust  _ me _ … He's just not that great at communication, so he probably couldn't figure out when or how to contact me.”

 

Ryuji frowned, staring at Reiji as he sat down. “I dunno, man…”

 

“Trust me, kid. There's a lot of people out there who don't care enough to have kids and really shouldn't have them. I do my best to not be a sorry excuse for a parent, even if I mess up like this sometimes…” Reiji wasn't sure saying any of this was helping him, but damn if he'd just sit by quietly…

 

Ryuji let his shoulders slump. “... Well, I guess if Takashi thinks you're okay and you really mean that…”

 

Reiji shrugged. “You don't have to like or trust me, kid. I just want you to know where I'm coming from… You don't need to worry, anyway. Takashi doesn't live with me and we always hang out in public when he visits, so it's not like I'd have much time to be shitty.”

 

“I see…” Ryuji rubbed the back of his head. “Shit, I'm coming across all wrong. You've just got a mean face, so I ended up assumin’ things… Sorry.”

 

Reiji shook his head. “Don't worry about it.”

 

“Actually, I don't mean to be rude, but…” A girl with fluffy hair spoke up. “Something about your appearance seems familiar… And I'm having trouble putting my finger on why…”

 

“Is that so…?” Reiji frowned, he didn't like where this was going. “Can't think of why that would be, too bad--”

 

“Actually, I think it was a picture I saw in files my father was keeping… Business men to model himself after…” She tapped her chin. “I think the man's name was Takahisa Kandori or something similar…?”

 

“Kandori…!” Reiji’s face drained of all color at that name. He hadn't heard it in such a long time, let alone been physically compared to him… It threw him more off kilter than he wanted to admit. 

 

“Are you alright,  Kido-san?” She held her hands to her chest in concern. “I didn't mean to--”

 

“Haru…” Takashi cleared his throat and spoke up. “Dad and I have talked about that guy before and, uh, I think we should just change the subject.”

 

“Oh! I'm very sorry…” Haru covered her mouth. “I'm honestly out of my element, so I sometimes ask things without thinking…”

 

“You're doing better than Nanjo or I did when we were about your age, don't worry about it…” Reiji ran a hand through his hair, trying to regain his composure.

 

Haru have a relieved giggle. “Is that--”

 

“Ah!” A blue haired boy moved next to Reiji, cutting Haru off as he framed him and Takashi in his fingers. “Stop, don't move…”

 

“Yusuke…!” Takashi let out a sigh. “Please tell me you aren't--”

 

“A father and son, so similar yet so different…” Yusuke let out a hum. “You two could be wonderful inspiration for my next big piece!”

 

Reiji rose an eyebrow. “An artist, huh…?”

 

“Yeah, he can be kinda extreme until you get to know him…” Takashi shifted the cat in his arms. “I kinda did it endearing, so I didn't think to give you a heads up. Sorry…”

 

Reiji shook his head. “Don't worry. I know a couple of artists myself, they're not as… out there as your buddy there, but…” He pointed as a painting hanging on the wall. “Sonomura’s art right there's a daily reminder enough that artists finding inspiration wherever isn't worth getting upset over.”

 

“Ah, Auntie Maki’s art…” Takashi blinked. “I forgot that was there…”

 

Yusuke and a girl with twintails both looked towards the painting and pictures surrounding it at that point, Yusuke being quick to start studying it while the girl ended up taking more interest in an image next to it. It was just a class photo, something that Reiji felt was only important to him, so he didn't get her interest in it. Not until she spoke up. 

 

“Wait, wait!” She gasped and pointed. “Is that Eriko Kirishima…?!”

 

“Huh…? Yeah, probably. We did go to St. Hermelin High together after I transferred in.” Reiji paused. “Didn't think kids your age would know her, let alone pick her out in an image…”

 

“Are you kidding me?! She's  _ huge _ in the fashion world, even after retiring from modeling!” The girl turned to Reiji and cleared her throat. “Anyway, could you maybe get her to contact an Ann Takamaki, please…?”

 

Reiji rose an eyebrow. “Sure… I'll see if she can give you a call.”

 

“Really? Thanks!” Ann swayed happily from side to side. “I knew putting more into my modeling would pay off... in more ways than one!”

 

“Yeah, and…” Ryuji gave her a grin. “How many google searches did it take you to figure that out?”

 

She stuck her tongue out. “I did  _ more _ than just google things, Ryuji! Besides, just me googling would be more than you do for school.”

 

“You leave school out of this, dammit…!”

 

A girl cleared her throat as she readjusted her headband. “Come on, let's not get  _ too _ wild in Kido-san’s apartment… We want to leave a good impression.”

 

“They're fine, you don't need to try and reign them in,  mini-Mayuzumi.”

 

“Huh?” The girl blinked. “What did you just call me, sir?”

 

“Huh?” Reiji rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry, the way you were talking sorta reminded me of an old friend and you're shorter than her, so… It just slipped out.”

 

“I see… It seems like you've been bringing up a lot of old friends during this visit…” She paused, her eyes going wide. “A-also, I'm Makoto Niijima. Not, uh, mini-Mayuzumi.”

 

“Right, right. Got it…” He paused himself. “And yeah, you kids’re good at bringing them up, or reminding me of them, so…”

 

The cat in Takashi’s arms let out a meow and wriggled free at that point, jumping onto Reiji’s shoulder. He continued to meow, rubbing against Reiji’s face as he did. He reached up, patting his head and earning a purr. His son had gone and gotten himself a cute pet, huh?

 

“He just now decided to scope me out, huh?” Reiji scratched under his chin. “Most animals come right to me or avoid me all the time. Your cat's weird…”

 

“He's just fishin’ for attention.” Ryuji shook his head. “Probably wants you to compare him to someone now too.”

 

The cat looked at the blond and meowed, earning a frown from Ryuji.

 

“That's totally what you're doing! Stop tryin’ to act like something you're not!”

 

“...No need to argue with a cat, kid.” Reiji held up a hand in an attempt to diffuse the situation before it grew. “If that's  _ really _ what he wants, well… One, he's smarter than any other cat I've seen… And two, he sorta reminds me of Uesugi, I guess.”

 

“Oh? Why does Mona-chan remind you of that person, if you don't mind me asking?” Haru tilted her head to the side, curiosity clear on her face. 

 

“...Some of the stuff your buddy said while trying to argue with, uh, Mona…” Reiji pat Mona’s head again. “And the fact Uesugi reminds me of a small animal, there's that too.”

 

They cat let out a whine of a meow at that comment, jumping off Reiji’s shoulder and onto the ground. It was like he was upset or offended by being called a cat, but… Why would that upset a cat? Reiji wasn't quite sure. 

 

“Ohhh, critical hit, Mona!” An orange haired girl who'd otherwise been quiet and absorbed in something on her phone finally spoke up as she scooped Mona up. “Too bad, you'll need to retreat to recover.”

 

“...Does she talk like that a lot?” Reiji looked to Takashi with a raised eyebrow. 

 

“Kind of? It's a little odd, but it makes Futaba more comfortable…” Takashi fiddled with his hair. “Does it bother you, Dad?”

 

“Nah, I think it'll be easier for me than Ayase’s slang ever was, at least…” Reiji shook his head. “It just caught me off guard, that's all.”

 

“I see…” Takashi rubbed the back of his neck as he nodded. “Maybe we should go before we catch you off guard too much.”

 

“I mean… You should probably get going. If you hang around too long it'll get dark and your mom’ll get worried.” He put a hand on Takashi’s shoulder. “Can you hang back for a second, though? I have a couple things to say to just you.”

 

Takashi paused for a minute. “Sure, just let me herd everyone out and I'll come back to talk, okay?”

 

“Okay.”

 

Takashi wasted no time gaining his friends’ attention, herding them all out. It wasn't exactly the cleanest exit, though. Yusuke bumped into Reiji and a few others since he was still staring at Maki’s painting, Ann reminded him with great fervor to contact Eriko about her, and Futaba flinched away from Reiji so hard she sent Mona flying… Their exit was honestly a huge mess, actually. 

 

But Takashi was still able to get them all out the door and heading towards whatever vehicle they'd used to get here. Reiji was tempted to peek, make sure it looked like a safe and reliable vehicle, but his son was already back. 

 

“So, Dad… What did you wanna talk about?” He played with his bangs again. “If it's about you not contacting me, don't worry about--”

 

“Takashi, I'm sorry. I want you to feel like you can rely on me.” Reiji put a hand on his chest. “I'm gonna worry about it because I wasn't there for you!”

 

“Dad…” Takashi took a few steps toward Reiji. “It's no big deal, like I said earlier… You're not the best with communication as is, so…”

 

“...But I need to do more for you. I'm  _ gonna _ do better, be there for you.” Reiji put his hands on Takashi’s shoulders. “So… If you need to talk about anything, no matter how crazy you think it sounds… Please, know you can talk to me.”

 

“Don't worry, Dad… I know.” Takashi put his hands on Reiji’s. “And I'll call you if I need anything, I promise.”

 

Reiji nodded after a moment, pulling his hands away. “Okay, okay… Be safe getting home, Takashi… I love you.”

 

Takashi smiled as he moved to the doorway and slipped on his shoes. “I will be, thanks. And Dad?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“I love you too.”

 

Without another word from either of them, Takashi was out the door. Reiji peeked out the window when he was alone and, when he was sure the blue van that drove by was the one Takashi and his friends were using, pulled out his phone. These kids made him want to call at least one of his friends…

 

Plus someone to listen to him about them all being Persona users could be nice. 

 

“Hello?”

 

“Hey, Takashi stopped by today with some friends… You're not gonna believe this, but…”

**Author's Note:**

> Happy (early) birthday, Ichigo, you're fabulous! ❤❤


End file.
